this blog is NOT dead!

...we've just been very busy. and I wrote a very nice update post last week, but when I tried to save it, my internet connection wasn't working so I lost the entire thing! Needless to say, I didn't feel like re-doing it. But I think it's long past time for an update.

So, what's going on with us?...

My parents moved a few weeks ago. So I've been spending a lot of time there with the kids. It's a gorgeous house with a nice big property, and it's located only three or four minutes from our house. I get to start my own (organic!) vegetable garden there this summer. I'm very excited about that! With the beautiful weather that we had on Tuesday, Judah just loved playing in their yard. I'm really looking forward to the weather warming up for good!

We've also been trying to get some things done around our own house. We put down laminate flooring in the living room around Judah's birthday. It looks really great! Last week, we had our bedroom and hallway painted. Rob got tired of me asking him to do it, so we paid someone to do it, and we're very happy with the results. Our new chocolate-brown walls make our bedroom much cozier (and are much more appealing than builder-white!).

I've also been busy just adjusting to having two children at home. I was kind of spoiled for the first several weeks that Asher was home, since he was still technically not supposed to be born and slept a LOT. Since about the beginning of March, however, he has been a lot more alert. It's wonderful, because he's really starting to interact with us, but it also means that i'm a whole lot busier! Judah, being two years old, is VERY busy and energetic these days, and I just don't get the chance to pop on the computer like I used to! I'm sure things will slow down again, but right now we're just going through a very busy spell! This is another reason I'm looking forward to the warm weather. I've been going a little stir crazy since we've had to be so careful with Asher this winter and because I haven't had a car to be able to go out whenever I want to. At least in the summer I can get around on foot as well as just spend time outside in the backyard.

Asher went to the pediatrician this past Tuesday. Everything looks good, and he weighed in at 8 lbs 1 oz! We are so thankful that he is so healthy. He started smiling on March 8th, and he smiling more and more every day. He is also starting to coo and talk to us. I love being able to interact with him!

Judah is doing well, too. He is growing like a weed. Pants that were long on him a month ago now just barely fit! More importantly, he is such a great big brother. He loves to share his toys with Asher and is proud to show him off to others.

Just this past week or two, we've started to venture out a little more. We went to church on Sunday, which was so nice! We just kept Judah in church with us for the entire service so that he didn't catch anything from the nursery. I'm still a little bit nervous about Asher catching something, but he's doing great so far, and we have to trust that the Lord will protect him.

That's all for now!

this little piggy...

Asher had a check-up at the family doctor yesterday. The last time he was weighed was Thursday, February 22, when he would have been 40 weeks (his due date was somewhere between the 21st and 23rd), and he weighed 5 lbs 11 oz. At yesterday's appointment, he weighed 6 lbs 14 oz!!!! That means he gained over a pound in a week and a half! Talk about a growth spurt! I had a feeling this may have been the case, since he has been nursing every hour to two hours for the past four or five days, but I was still surprised at how much he had gained! He's really getting big now! He's totally filling out and looks so healthy! Praise the Lord for that!

i apologize for not posting much recently. i was very busy - first with Judah's birthday party and then we were gone for a few days last week for my grandfather's funeral.

so, will a bunch of really cute pictures make up for the lack of posts recently? i hope so...

so handsome!

Asher is really starting to take in his surroundings.

totally filling out! he's got chub on his cheeks, his tummy, and even on his thighs!

big yawn! (notice the double chin?!)

he is not quite strong enough for his Bumbo chair, but he looks awfully cute!

In Memorian

HENDRIK WILLEM CHRISTIAAN HELLEMAN
Born: The Hague, Netherlands, February 24, 1920
Died: Ottawa, ON, Canada, February 25, 2007

On Sunday, February 25, 2007, the Lord called home His faithful servant, husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather, Henk, leaving behind his loving wife of 63 years, Tess, and his beloved children, Adrian (Wendy), Folkert (Ellen), Hank (Caroline), Hans (Henni), Mary Breimer (Theo), Eveline De Vries (Albert). He is also remembered lovingly by his 17 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. A service to celebrate his life was held on Thursday, March 1, 2007 at Calvin Christian Reformed Church, Ottawa, ON. Donations may be made to Christian Studies International, 13607-109 Avenue, Edmonton, AB T5M 2G8, Canada.


I am so thankful that Judah and I were able to visit with my grandparents at the end of November. I will miss my grandpa but I rejoicing in knowing that he is now with the Lord. The funeral truly was a celebration of his life and a joyous reflection of how he honoured God even in his dying.

party time!

well, i am a whole year older! i am now TWO years old! mommy and daddy threw me a fun birthday party again this year. Thomas (the choo-choo train) was the star of the show (besides me, of course!)

me! (do i look two?!)

we wore party hats that looked like a conductor's cap

the cake (made by mommy and decorated by Auntie Rachel)

happy birthday to me!!

mmmm, yummy cake!!!

opening presents...i received lots of fun toys and clothes. thanks, everyone!

in my Leafs jersey from Uncle Dan

look who's two!!

i can hardly believe it...my first baby turned two years old today!! where does the time go?


my mom and i took Judah to a Burger King with a play centre. We thought that it had a ball pit, but it ended up being a bit of a dive. So we just ate a quick lunch and then left. Then we spent over an hour at the dollar store. It was so much fun! Mom and I were looking for craft supplies for Judah and some things for his birthday party this weekend. Judah loved looking at all the little toys. tonight, i cooked pasta for dinner, as that is one of Judah's favourite dishes. then we had apple crisp for dessert and gave Judah his presents. it was a great day!

at Burger King

"cheese!"

with mommy

and grandma

what a sweet big brother

opening his presents - an Elmo book and a Dora book

another present - Winnie the Pooh cards and a switchplate for his bedroom

good news!

Asher had to go in to have his hearing tested again today. They tested him at the hospital, as they do with all newborns in Ontario, where he received a passing grade for his left ear but not for his right ear. We were told not to worry, because many factors can cause them not to pass, and were referred to Early Words for a restest. As expected, he passed his test in the right ear with flying colours. So no worries in that department! Praise the Lord!

I also brought Asher in to the doctor's office today, just so that I could check his weight. He is now up to 5 lbs 10 1/2 oz! That means he's been gaining close to an ounce a day. I can't believe how big he's getting! Isn't it strange that a baby his size can seem so big? I'm always surprised when people comment how little he is, because to me he seems so big compared to how small he once was. Funny how perceptions change.

two months old (February 14, 2007)

Another month has flown by, and Asher is now two months old! A strange thought considering we're still not quite at his due date (around February 23)! He has been doing well at home. We've noticed that he is starting to spend more time awake and alert. It's nice to see his bright eyes gazing around and looking at us. His reflux is still an issue. He usually has one or two feedings a day where it seems to be a lot more intense. It really seems to bother him; I'll spend about an hour after these "difficult" feedings trying to get him to settle. The poor guy! Aside from that, we're mostly dealing with typical newborn stuff (lots of poopy diapers and middle of the night feedings) and getting Judah adjusted to having a sibling in the house. This transition has gone pretty well, with a few bumps along the road. For the most part, Judah seems to enjoy having Asher around. He's just getting used to having to share the attention!

a series of adorable pictures

this may be overkill, but i thought they were all really cute :)

eight weeks old (February 8, 2007)

I can hardly believe that it has been eight weeks since Asher was born! It seems like just days ago and like a lifetime ago all at once, if that makes any sense! Asher had his first visit to our family doctor today. Everything looks great! His weight was up to 5 lbs 4 oz, and he is now 19 inches long. Going in to the appointment this morning, I was a little concerned about Asher's reflux, which seems to have increased since he came home from the hospital. But the doctor was happy with his weight gain, which eased my mind a little bit.

yes, he's home!

After 51 days in the NICU, we were finally able to take our precious baby boy home on Friday! It is such a great feeling to have our whole family under one roof!

After such a long stay in the hospital, taking Asher home was a strange and exciting experience. In some ways, it didn't really feel like he was our baby during his stay in the NICU, so it almost felt like we were doing something wrong when we brought him out of the hospital! Now it's sinking in that he really does belong to us!

He was discharged at 37 + 1 weeks gestation weighing just about 5 lbs 1 oz. He's getting so big! Everything is looking good, aside from the reflux that is very typical with premature babies. Although he is home now, the next month is full of appointments with the eye doctor, family doctor, pediatrician, growth and development clinic, etc, etc...such is the life of a preemie!

Asher is doing great at home. He is a wonderful addition to our family! Judah is an awesome big brother. He always wants to hold Asher or look at him while he's sleeping. He also makes sure to tell me when Asher is crying!

I've posted a lot of pictures for you to enjoy! I'm sure many more will follow.